History of City of Mandaue

The City of Mandaue was founded in April 7, 1521, when a “Cove of Cebu”, called Mandawe, was sighted by a Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan. The “Cove of Cebu”, which is located in the present Barangay Tipolo, became the host to the first facility in the country. Its establishment marked the origins of the industrialization of the country as it helped in the promotion and sustainability of the Acapulco Trade which took place at that time.

In 1571, Legaspi established the country’s first drydock complex on the shoreline of Tipolo, Mandaue, in order to hasten the colonization of the area. The drydock facilities, which were a few meters away from the existing location of the San Miguel Brewery Complex, reportedly serviced the Galleons of Legaspi.

Historically, Mandaue got its name from a thick, clinging vines known as “mantawi”, which were abundant in the early times, long before the coming of the Spanish conquestadores. During these times, Mandaue, with its eastern and southern boundaries facing the Mactan Strait, was already referred to as the “merchants’ paradise”. The major economic points within the area were already interlinked with several crude transportation network.

The “Cove of Cebu” was formally constituted into a “pueblo” between 1580 to 1700 and was officially known as the town of Mandaue in the year 1899.

From that “Cove of Cebu” emerged the now industrial city of Mandaue. Mandaue became a chartered city on June 21, 1969 through Republic Act 5519. It was considered a highly-urbanized city in the year 1991.

MANDAUE CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL

The school was built around 1930s during the term of Presidente Alejandro del Rosario based in Gabaldon design. Education in Mandaue was formally introduced by the Americans in June 13, 1904. The school building is composed of 10 rooms on the left side of the building and 10 rooms on the right side. There are two stairs within the building symmetrical with each other. The stairs are also found in front. The windows are made of capiz, the floors of red wood and the ceiling also of strips of wood. During the Japanese occupation, few classes were being reopened in this school. Japanese language was introduced. In September 12, 1944 the classes was dispersed as a result of intensified air attacks from the American Liberation Forces.

RIZAL-BONIFACIO MEMORIAL STAGE AND LIBRARY

The Rizal-Bonifacio Memorial was a living monument of the spirited citizens of Mandaue to honor the two greatest Filipino heroes- Dr. Jose P. Rizal and Andres Bonifacio and also a living legacy of unselfish community cooperation of the Mandauehanons.

The Rizal-Bonifcacio Memorial, currently the Mandaue City Public Library, was inaugurated in June 19, 1954. The realization of this dream project was due to the concerted force behind the ordinary mandauehanons and their leaders through time, money and effort.

MANDAUE-MACTAN BRIDGE

The Mandaue-Mactan Bridge spanning the Cebu North Channel is an engineering feat in the central Philippines. It is straddling a channel steeped not only in commerce but also in history. The bridge lords over Mactan island and Mandaue City in the mainland – pristine historic places at the start of recorded history of the Philippines. The retrospective viewer on the structure will likely envision that history has already “spanned” these places in indelible accounts about five hundred years ago. It was constructed during the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. The construction started in 1970, a year after the declaration of Mandaue as a chartered city. Finished in 1972 at a cost of Php 65 million. The bridge is 846 meters long and 9 meters wide was designed and created wholly by Filipino engineers.

THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF SAINT JOSEPH

Some record shows that the Jesuits started constructing the church in 1601 and some said it was in 1638. St. Joseph the Patriarch was installed as the patron saint and it is one of the oldest publicly venerated image of the saint in our country. The work was slow and hard that it was fully finished in 1848 during the term of Fr. Gregorio de San Antonio de Padua as parish priest. In mid 1700’s, the Jesuits abandoned the parish which the Augustinians took over later.